“Ridiculous Stuff”: Nick Kyrgios Ain’t Buying Jake Draper’s “Was Looking at the Ball” Response After Cincy Finals Fiasco

Rishika Singh | 17/08/2024
“Ridiculous Stuff": Nick Kyrgios Ain't Buying Jake Draper's "Was Looking at the Ball" Response After Cincy Finals Fiasco

Nick Kyrgios had some thoughts after the dramatic conclusion of the Cincinnati Finals between Jack Draper and Félix Auger-Aliassime. The controversy? Draper won the match point despite his ball bouncing on his side of the net first. Draper later claimed he didn’t notice because he was focused on Félix. 


The point in question was the match point for Draper which automatically put Félix out of the Cincinnati Open. He even argued with the Chair Umpire, Greg Allensworth, that it landed on his side first. He approached the net and spoke to Draper and Allensworth saying, 

“That’s horrendous what you just did. Did not see the ball bounce on the floor?”. 

Despite being frustrated with this decision he kept his cool and spoke to the supervisor. Draper even said that he was willing to look at the replay and claims to not know what exactly happened as he was “looking at Félix”, and would replay the point if told. However, Allensworth was firm on his decision of Draper winning the point, the situation could not be turned over and Aliassime lost the match. 

But, Kyrgios wasn’t having it. He took to X (formerly Twitter) and called Draper out, saying, 


Kyrgios isn’t one to stay quiet, and the fans reacted soon after. They had mixed feelings, with some agreeing with Kyrgios’ take, calling the situation unfair, while others were talking about him being a hypocrite. 


Well, Kyrgios himself has been no stranger to controversy. Fans were quick to bring up his past on-court antics, including moments where his sportsmanship was questioned. From smashing rackets to racking up fines for unsportsmanlike conduct, Kyrgios has walked a fine line over the years. 

Although Kyrgios has been around long enough to know what can pass as fair play and something that is straight-up unfair, so he might be on the right side of things for once. 

In the end, he wasn’t concerned about the past—he was all about calling out Draper for what he saw as unsportsmanlike play in the heat of the moment. As always, Nick’s comments kept the tennis world buzzing.

Post Edited By: Srijan Mandal
Felix Auger-Aliassime Jack Draper Nick Kyrios

About the author

Rishika Singh

Meet Rishika, the Tennis Writer at The SportsRush who spins words as deftly as Federer spins his backhand. Her tennis obsession began at 12, inspired by her dad’s adoration for Roger Federer (the only correct choice, obviously). An athlete herself, Rishika covers sports in an entertaining yet insightful manner, aiming to draw more fans into the game. When not watching or writing about tennis, Rishika loves baking and cooking, dreaming of one day launching her own food truck. Imagine each bite as delightful as a match point. Rishika’s unique blend of sports passion and culinary dreams makes her a standout voice in sports journalism. She serves up stories with humour and wit, ensuring her readers enjoy every moment of the game.

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